Resource management

Resource management

South West Agricultural Resource Management Initiative
(SWARM) offers practical help and funding so that farmers
can manage their resources in the best way possible and so improve
their profitability and help the environment.

Farmers and growers can get expert advice through the Initiative
on managing resources, and that could lead to funding towards the
cost of putting the adviser’s recommendations into practice. The
initiative covers two areas as below.

Soils for Profit (S4P)

S4P includes soils, manures and nutrients, and is delivered
by Natural England and the Environment Agency. This programme
provides expert advice, workshops, feasibility studies,
demonstrations and training. For more information please see
Soils for Profit on the Natural England website.

Resource Efficiency for Farms (R4F)

R4F looks at energy, water and inorganic waste such as farm
plastics, and is delivered by Business Link. Support through this
programme includes on-farm tailored advice with in-depth technical
assistance.

Initial stages for applicants

REG will arrange for an adviser to visit the farm, and prepare aFarm action plan which will include information on
resource use. It will also contain recommendations which, if put
into practice, would bring about the greatest gains in resource
efficiency.

Some of these recommendations may be eligible for support
through the SWARM small grants scheme, which
offers grants of up to £10,000* towards the cost of items
identified in the ARM Farm Action Plan.

*In the short term, due to extra funding from Europe targeted
specifically at the dairy sector, the maximum grant for dairy
farmers is £20,000.

More details about the initiative and information on eligible
capital items is available in the SWARM
Farmer’s Guide which can be downloaded here.

The SWARM
application form is also available to download here, but please
note that any application must be accompanied by a completed ARM
Farm Action Plan, because grants will only be made towards eligible
items identified in the Plan.